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22 December 2011

In this moving Chrismas carol , the true spirit of Christmas is revealed when an orphan witnesses the birth of baby Jesus, and gives the only gift he can – a song. With its simple message that the best gift is one given from the heart, this story exemplifies the true spirit of Christmas.

Little Drummer Boy has always been one of my favourite Christmas carols, that's why I've chosen these two versions for you to hear. They can't be more different but I like them both very much.

Why don't you send me a comment and tell me what you think of them?

The words and music to the Christmas song Little Drummer Boy were composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958. The lyrics of Little Drummer Boy consist of no less than 21 rum pum pum pum' - a major part of the song and therefore presenting an apparently easy task for the lyricist! However, Little Drummer Boy has been a huge hit for several artists. The most notable rendition was created by the most unlikely combination of Bing Crosby and David Bowie. This version of Little Drummer Boy was a massive hit for the artists and was in fact Bing Crosby's most successful recording after the legendary White Christmas.

David: Hello...... you're the new butler?Bing: Hahaha! Well, it's been a long time since I've been the new anything!David: What's happened to Hudson?Bing: I guess he's changing.David: Yeah, he does that a lot, doesn't he? Uhm... Oh, I'm David Bowie, I livedown the road.Bing: Oh!David: Sir Percival let's me use his piano if he not around. He's not around, ishe?Bing: I can honestly say I haven't seen him, but come on in! Come in!David: But uh...Bing: Come on in!David: Are you related to sir Percival?Bing: Well, distantly...David: Oh, you're not the poor relation from America, right?Bing: Ha! Gee... news sure travels fast, doesn't it? I'm Bing.David: Oh, I'm pleased to meet you. You're the one that sings, right?Bing: Well, right or wrong, I sing either way.David: Oh well, I sing too.Bing: Oh good! What kind of singing?David: Mostly the contemporary stuff. Do you eh... do you like modern music?Bing: Oh, I think it's marvellous! Some of it's really fine. But tell me, have you ever listened to any of the older fellows?David: Oh yeah, sure. I like ah... John Lennon and the other one with eh...HarryNilsson.Bing: Mmm... you go back that far, uh?David: Yeah, I'm not as young as I look.Bing: Haha, none of us is these days!David: In fact I've got a six year old son. And he really gets excited around the Christmas holiday-thing.Bing: Do you go in for anything of the traditional things in the... boy, household, Christmas time?David: Oh yeah, most of them really. Presents, tree, decorations, agents sliding down the chimney...Bing: What??David: Oh, I was just seeing if you were paying attention.Bing: Haha!David: Actually, our family do most of the things that other families do. Wesing the same songs.Bing: Do you?David: Oh, I even have a go at 'White Christmas'.Bing: You do, eh!David: And this one. This is my son's favourite. Do you know this one?Bing: Oh, I do indeed, it's a lovely theme.

And they told me pa-ram-pam-pam-pamA new-born king to see pa-ram-pam-pam-pamOur finest gifts we bring pa-ram-pam-pam-pamRa-pam-pam-pam, ra-pam-pam-pam

Peace on Earth, can it beYears from now, perhaps we'll seeSee the day of glorySee the day, when men of good willLive in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it beEvery child must be made awareEvery child must be made to careCare enough for his fellow manTo give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come trueFor my child and your child tooHe'll see the day of glorySee the day when men of good willLive in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it beCan it be

Bing: It's a pretty theme, isn't it?

The Almost is a alternative band from Clearwater, Florida, most notable for being the side project of Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie. They have a surprising version of Little Drummer Boy and I have to say that I like it a lot.

12 April 2011

Huw is one of the main characters in "Two Lives", by Helen Naylor.I don't know for sure what he looked like but I guess he probably looked like the young man in the picture on the right.Click hereand see what other readers have written about Huw's personality and background, his past and his future.He was born in a Welsh mining village and lived there all his childhood but when he was in his teens he had to leave Britain and travel to Toronto, Canada, in search of a better life. When he was in Toronto he wrote some letters to his beloved Megan, the girl he had to leave in Wales, so far away. In the book, we can read the beginning of one of them:

My lovely MeganI still haven’t received a letter from you. I can’t believe it takes four months for letters to cross the Atlantic. What’s happened? Is something wrong? …

Some 2nd year Basic Level students have used their imagination to find the missing words. I'm sure Huw's letters can't have been very different from these :

I've found a very nice house near the sea. It's very nice to live in Toronto and to know that you're fine at the same time! The only bad thing I have to tell you is that I haven't found a job yet. But don't worry, I've met a very important businessman who has promissed me to help me with that task.The only thing I want to know is if you are all right. I only need that to live. I promiss I'll go to Britain as soon as I have some money to spend on the journey, but now you have to be patient. Please, Megan, wait for me!Looking forward to your answer,yours truly,Huw

(By Adrián Rodríguez Ares)

My lovely MeganI still haven’t received a letter from you. I can’t believe it takes four months for letters to cross the Atlantic. What’s happened? Is something wrong?…I really need to see you again but I've started to think you have forgotten me. I hope you haven't because I´d be very sad.What happened with the things that you and I talked about? I don´t know what to think…I´m confused.I´m in this big city working to be able to return to you and then you and I will be able to get married. My father has given up drinking and I´m happy for him. He has met a woman and he´s very happy.I don't know what else I can say except that I hope you write back.I´ll always love you.My best wishes,Huw

(By Vanessa Peña)

This is very different from Tredoland but I think that you’d like it. Sometimes I go walking along the street and I imagine that you are here and I’ll find you after turning the corner or when I get into a shop. However, I soon realize that it won’t happen and that makes me feel sad. How I wish you were here! I remember every single day we spent together in Tredoland. They were the happiest days of my life. I wonder if I made the right decision.Please, write to me,Huw

(By Franciso González)

My lovely MeganI still haven’t received a letter from you. I can’t believe it takes four months for letters to cross the Atlantic. What’s happened? Is something wrong?…Maybe your family?I miss you every day. I always dream you are here with me.This city is wonderful, you'll love it. I sold some pictures and my father is better. He met a woman whom he likes. This can be good for him. As I've earned some money here and I've saved some, you will be able to come with me, if you haven’t changed your mind about our plans for the future. Please, answer me soon because this is diving me crazy. I’m not sure if you keep loving me or you have forgotten me.

With all my best wishes,

Huw

(By María García Saceda)

I don't understand ... why don't you write to me? Every day I look at your face on the wall of my studio and I feel alone, I'm waiting fot your letter.I love you so much !

(By Arantxa García Barrenechea)

Sometimes I wonder if you still love me like you did before. I don't understand why you haven't replied yet.Do you have any problems with you father?Please, I need to know if you want to marry me. Now I'm working hard and I think in three months I'll have the money for your ticket, but I must know if you want to leave Tredonald.I'm anxiously awaiting news from you.Love,Huw

Megan is the main female character in the book "Two Lives", by Helen Naylor.

She was a sixteen-year-old girl, a pretty teenager who fell in love for the first time with her childhood friend , Huw. However, perhaps their love wasn't meant to be, because all sorts of difficulties seemed to stand in their way.

Are you the sort of person who thinks love can conquer all ? Do you think their young love could be strong enough to survive time and distance?

I encourage you to read "Two Lives" and find the answers to these questions and much more.

If you feel like reading what other students have written about this strong woman called Megan, her life in Tredonald, a little mining village, and her yearning for her long lost love Huw, click hereand read, but you'd better finish the book first, as you may find spoilers.

Megan sent a letter to a man she loved very much, although not enough to make her forget the love of her youth.

The book just shows us the beginning of her letters, but some 2nd year Basic Level studets have guessed what's missing and written these imaginative and moving words:

Dear Paul,

You’ll know I left Tredonald to live my second chance with Huw.

Don’t feel bad because you made me really happy and thanks to you I could feel love again.

Yes, I love you but when I saw Huw again I felt all the past emotions coming back. I tried to struggle against them but finally I had to give in.

I hope you understand me.

When I found that box with the letters I had a hunch: Someone in the sky wanted to give us a new opportunity.

He had been loving me all these years, while I couldn’t forget him, either.

Here, in Canada, everything is different. Paul, be happy! I’m sure you’ll find someone special to share your life with.

Megan

(By María García Salceda)

Dear Paul,

I have to tell you something very important for us. It will be better for both of us to split up. You know that our relationship was always very formal, and we didn't actually want to marry each other. I think I was only trying to satisfy my desire to be happy all these years I lived alone.But now that my lost love, Huw, has arrived, I think we have to say goodbye. I've found my past, and that's all I want now. I'm sorry, very sorry for this.Yours forever, goodbye,Megan

(By Adrián Rodríguez Ares)

Dear Paul,

I’mgoing to be honest: I finally have decided to marry Huw. You are one of the most wonderful men I’ve ever meet and I’m sure that you would be a great husband for me. In fact, we'd probably marry if all the things that have happened in the last moths hadn’t happened. But now that Huw is again in my life, I must listen to my heart. Life has given us a second chance and I can’t let him go away.

I only can say one thing: I’m sorry.

All the best,

Megan

(By Laura Alonso)

My dear Paul,

I'm writing this letter because I can't marry youI have realised that I still love Huw. We have met again after fifty years and my feelings towards him are the same as when I was sixteen.You are a good man and I am sure you will find another good woman.

I wish you good luck in your life.

My best wishes,

Megan

(By Emi Nielfa)

Dear Paul,

I'm sorry but I can't marry you because I love Huw and he loves me.You have always been very good to me and I'm very sorry about this but you know that my heart always belonged to the father of my dear daughter, Beth.

I hope you'll be very happy and you will be able to forgive me.Love,Megan

(By Bego)

Dear Paul,

You already felt it at dinner, didn’t you?

You knew everything about my past with Huw because I had told you but you didn’t know, and I have understood today, that I still love him.

Happiness consists of allowing all the events to happen. Do you remember? You said it to me when we met and I’ve been very happy with you. I found in you a partner, an ideal friend to share the rest of my life with, but now this life offers me a second opportunity with my first and maybe my only love, with Huw.

I’m sorry, I’m hurting you but if we marry our life together would be a lie and you wouldn’t like it.

You deserve all my respect and I suppose that you prefer the truth though it is very painful. Time has come to say goodbye. I know you’ll be happy.

With love,

Megan

(By Marisol G.)

Dear Paul,

Sorry for leaving you but when I saw Huw I remembered many things and I fell in love with him again. I hope that you can forgive me.

All these years we have enjoyed ourselves a lot together and I have been in love with you but now I have become crazy about Huw.

I’ll never forget you.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Megan.(By Andrés)

My dear Paul,

I am going to marry Huw because I love him, maybe not in the same way as I did when I was sixteen but now I know that he is the only one for me.

Although the years we have lost will never get back we still have time, we have a second chance.

The CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST is a historical novel originally written for young people, by Captain Frederick Marryat and published for the first time in 1847. This book is a brief and simplified version of the original work.

The story takes place during the English Civil War (1642–1651) when the disputes between the Parliament and King Charles II ended with the rise of the puritans that were led by Cronwel. The Puritans were known as Round Heads due to the form of their hats.

King Charles was defeated and then executed by the rebels. Cronwel was made Lord Protector and Englan turned into a republican Commonwealth. Under his dictatorship, from then on, he initiated an implacable and cruel persecution of all his enemies: the suspects of loyalty to the King, the Catholics, the Scottish and the Irish people.

The New Forest, situated in the south of England, was and still remains , a Royal Forest, it has been used by the kings to go hunting. Nowadays it is a National Park.

The Plot:

Colonel Beverley, who died in the battle of Naseby, was loyal to the King. When the Rounds Heads burned their mansion in the New Forest, his orphaned children escaped a certain death, thanks to a loyal servant, an elderly forest guard. Pretending they were his own grandsons, the forest guard was able to protect the children's lives. In addition, the children, two boys and two girls, discover a new life in the forest and how to do things by themselves

The story continues with diverse vicissitudes and adventures throughout the history of England in those days, until the moment the Restoration by King Charkes III takes place 9 years later. The children, already adults, will recover then their family estate.

Conclusion:

In my opinion the novel is quite easy to read. I think the reading is pleasant and interesting since it hooks the reader until the end, at least to anyone who likes the historical novel. Although it is a brief version, the author's message remains clear enough He tries to instill the children in the Victorian era, values such as honor, loyalty and the spirit of self-sacrifice.

24 March 2011

David Coperfield was born in 1820 in England. His father died before he was born, so he lives only with his mother, Mrs. Coperfield. Later, his mother marries Mr.Murdstone, who David thought that was a merciless man.

David began do worse in his studies, and Mr. Murdstone argued with him all the time. One day, David bit him, and Mr. Murdstone decided to send David to Salem-house.

When David’s mother died, he had to return to his house, and Mr. Murdstone sent him to a factory, in London. David managed to escape and go to Dover and look for his only known relative, his aunt: Besty Trotwood.

Personal opinion:

People who like novels like “Oliver Twist”will like this book. It is a highly entertaining read: the prominent figures appear and disappear constantly, this way you will not get bored while reading it. It is a great and heart warming book. I definitely recommend that you add this to your collection!

23 March 2011

This story was written by Daphne du Maurier and first published in 1951.This edition was published in 1992 by Heineman elt publishing house at Intermediate level.It is a thriller where feelings like love and economical interests are dangerously related.

Philip Ashley was only a child when his parents died. His cousin Ambrose, a rich and unmarried man twenty years older than him becomes his guardian and Philip his only heir.

When Philip is twenty two, Ambrose leaves to Italy and meets Rachel, a charming woman. He falls in love with her and they marry.Everything is perfect until one day when Philip receives a letter from his cousin where he says he is very ill. When Philip arrives in Ambrose's house he has already died.Signor Rainaldi, the man who arranges things for Ambrose and his wife (money, business…) explains to him that the reason of his death was a tumour he had in his brain.But Philiph doesn’t believe it, he thinks there is something else, so he decides to meet Rachel and find out the truth.

What happened to Ambrose?Have Rachel and Sr.Rainaldi something to do with it?

It is an entertaining story whose end is really unpredictable and surprising.I definitely recommend it

Jack London was an American writer born in San Francisco in 1876. Towards 1897 he traveled to Alaska driven by the gold rush, this trip inspired many of his works, such as “White Fang”, which became a movie , and “The call of the wild” whose plot is about the return of a civilized being to their original state and fighting for survival.

“The Call of the Wild” is a storyof a dog called Buck, who´s kidnapped and sold as a sled dog in Alaska. Buck has to learn to survive in the lands of Alaska, which are new and unknown lands to him. During his trip Buck has several masters, but of them all, the one who wins Buck´s love and loyalty is John Thornton. Another character in the book is about a wolf that represents the call of the wild. Buck has to decide whether to continue with Thornton or answer the call of the wild.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it´s a really entertaining read. I really liked the story, although it has scenes of violence and cruel struggle but I think this makes it more realistic, since it´s set in a harsh environment for both dog and man.

21 March 2011

'The Sugar Glider' (by Rod Nielsen) is an exciting adventure book set in Australia.

In this story, a pilot called Don comes back to that country in order to spend more time with his daughter and see his ex-wife.

However, when he arrives, Paul, a friend, offers him a suspicious job: to fly a mysterious cargo from Brisbane to Melbourne. But the plane has a defect and crashes, killing Paul. After that, they will have to fight to survive in the hottest part of Australia. Don discovers that it wasn’t an accident and what they really were carrying was Uranium. So he starts to think that this was not a job for the Government and tries to return to Brisbane, where he finally meets his ex-wife and her new lover, who is a selfish and wealthy businessman.

The main characters are:

Don Radcliffe: a pilot who returns to Brisbane hoping to rescue a failed marriage and to spend more time with his daughter Sylvia.

Don’s ex-wife, now in love with P. Forsha. She still seems to feel something for Don.

Judy Radcliffe is don’s daughter, aged 14. She is very intelligent and brave, always willing to take risks.

Paul Copeman is one of Don’s oldest mates. He needs to fly “The Sugar Glider”to the Melbourne air museum.

Patrick Forsha is a rich and selfish businessman. He started a relationship with Sylvia 6 months ago. Don hates him.

This book develops themes like: greed, environmental awareness, the Murri people (native Australians that traditionally occupied most of modern-day Queensland) and family values.

I believe that this book is worth reading because it is impossible to put it down. I enjoyed it very much, although it is sometimes a bit predictable.

My favorite chapter in this book is Accident because it describes in a very moving way Paul‘s tragic death. It is curious the way the writer expresses the character’s feelings and makes his readers get so involved with their situations.

This story reminds me of a civil war (due to all those problems related to the Murri people who demonstrated against the government ), family love (because ,despite the disadvantages, Don and his daughter keep together loving each other) and the power of truth (when Forsha’s partner realizes he’s not the honest man he pretends to be in front of her).

The story happened at midnight at Mercy Hospital’s Emergency Room. A sick woman arrived; she was called Nanette Myer and died few minutes later because of a heart attack. Her doctor, Maxine Cassidy couldn’t do anything for her.

Nanette was Dr. Hank’s wife and he couldn’t believe the death of his wife because she was healthy. Maxine ordered an autopsy of the body and a blood test, where a poison called tetrodotoxin, which comes from puffer fishes, was found.

Maxine was the main suspect because she had used this poison for her research six months before at Marquette University where she shared her lab with other collages called Virginia and Aaron.

Virginia was a famous researcher who was trying to find out the cure for leprosy.

The detective who run the the case was called Grabowsky and with the help of Maxine they found a lot of interesting clues together. Because of this reason Maxine was attacked three times. Her life was in danger.

Nanette was wearing strange clothes and she had been seen talking with some people in a rough neighbourhood the day she died. The reason of her behaviour was that she was getting information for her university degree watching “street life”.

Finally, Maxine discovered that Nanette was killed by Virginia because she found out that Virginia was doing illegal experiments with homeless people.

Personal opinion

In my opinion, it is an entertaining book because it starts with a death and you don’t know who the murderer is until the end. This made me want to read more and more until I finished it.

I read it quickly because ,apart of being unpredictable, it had few pages and the vocabulary wasn’t very difficult. Moreover, between Maxine and Grabowsky there is an affectionate romance that I liked.

In conclusion I like it so much and my mark is a four. I recommend it to all the people who like thrillers with a little bit of love.

20 March 2011

“Two lives” is a romantic story written by Helen Naylor and was first published in 2001 by Cambridge.

Set in a little coal miner village called Tredonald in Wales in 1946, the novel tells the story of two sixteen year old lovers, Megan and Huw, from different social backgrounds.

Megan Jenkins is a good girl who lives with her parents. She studies and works in the family´s shop in the town.

Huw Thomas lives with his father, David, and his brother, Gareth. He studies and works in the mine too, which is the principal source of jobs to people of the town. Their life is hard because they have to survive with little money.

This book shows how love and time can overcome the difficulties of life. The story is really wonderful, romantic and realistic. The reader should think that the story maybe a pain but nothing about this because he´ll find a fresh, sweet, interesting romance.

I think this book could be read by all kind of readers that want to keep a good story in their hearts.

The author was a Scottish writer and politician who served as General Governor of Canada, and also worked as a correspondent in France for “The Times” when World War I began.

The main character of the book, Richard Hannay, is inspired by his close friend Edmund Ironside, an adventurer he had met in South Africa.

This is a thriller and adventure book, it tells the story of an adventurer and traveler who has just arrived in London from Africa and discovers an enormous secret about events that will lead to the First World War, having to escape from his enemies as they want to kill him.

He goes all over Great Britain trying to hide from them, he stays for a while on the Scottish moors as the police is chasing him too (for a murder he did not commit).

The book is very entertaining; it describes very well the main features of the characters and the place where the story is developed. The story has lots of action and is very surprising.

I recommend it because reading it is very enjoyable. It is so exciting that you will not want to stop reading until you get to the end.

Elena Álvarez Martínez

Group: L (1st year intermediate level)

BOOK REVIEW

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

“In the Shadow of the Mountain”, written byHelen Nayloris mainly an adventure novel, although it contains features of romance and drama genre with intrigue and mystery.

The story is set in United Kingdom and Switzerland. Clare Newton is a British journalist who one day gets a call notifying her that her grandfather´s body had appeared in a glacier in Zermatt, Switzerland. After this, she discovers that there was a big mystery around her grandfather`s death and she decides to travel to Zermatt to bring home the body of her grandfather and to investigate his death.

During her stay in Zermatt, while she tries to collect some information, she meets Bruno and Ulrich Grunwalder, who will help her to know more of her grandfather’s life and death in Zermatt.

The story of mystery, love and adventure that Clare lives in Switzerland, changes her way of seeing life and her linkage with her grandfather.

In my opinion, “In the Shadow of the Mountain” is well worth reading because, in general, it´s an interesting an unpredictable novel. The personalities of the characters change with the plot and you discover the mystery and get to know the characters bit by bit. The plot keeps your attention just to the end.

I think that the best part of this book is the mysterious atmosphere and the way that the book grips you, but, I especially like Clare´s personality and the love story she lives.

From my point of view, the worst part of the novel is the end. I was expecting an overwhelming and breathtaking story at the end, something more surprising than the real end of the book.

In conclusion, it is a highly entertaining book for fans of intrigue and love stories and I definitely recommend that they add this book to their collection.

08 January 2011

Stonehenge is one of the most famous monuments in the world. It really is fascinating, sorrounded by mystery and a sort of magic. Click on the photo to get to know more about Stonehenge and practise your listening skills at the same time.